Zack Wheeler (SP, NYM) - 2015 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper

BALLER MOVE: Target in Middle Rounds

ANALYSIS: Zack Wheeler’s rookie campaign in 2013 was quietly solid: 100 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 7.6 K/9. Still, there was room for improvement. Wheeler’s FIP was a mediocre 4.17, and he walked just over 4 batters per nine innings. On top of that, when opposing batters put the bat on the ball, they did it with authority, posting a 23.5 LD%.

In his second season, Wheeler improved in just about every area, due to increased command and pitch variety. He threw 62.1% fastballs in 2014, down from 71.1% 2013, and relied more heavily on his curveball (15.8%) and changeup (7.2%). As a result, his swinging strike percentage increased from 8.8% to 9.8%. He also managed just an 18.8% line drive rate and 54% ground ball rate. Wheeler turned in a 3.54 ERA, 1.327 WHIP, 9.1 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 over 185 IP.

Wheeler is a young arm with tons of upside, especially if the improvements we saw in 2014 are the beginning of a trend. He could be just the breakout candidate you’re looking for in the upcoming 2015 fantasy baseball season.